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Thursday, February 24, 2011

REX HAVOC AND THE ASSKICKERS OF THE FANTASTIC: "HUMONGOUS" (1984 #9, October 1979)

And now, the final Rex Havoc story. This was the first one I read at the time when it came out and it's my favorite, along with the initial installment. Being the massive Godzilla/Toho/daikaiju goon that I am, it was inevitable that I'd love this one from the get-go, and it's clear from its content that writer Jim Stenstrum knows the genre he so deftly lampoons. Click on the images to embiggen.

Thanks for the gracious nod to Rex and the gang. You may be interested to hear I’m putting together a volume of new REX HAVOC stories, including two stories I was working on when Bill DuBay unceremoniously pulled the plug on the series: THE DAY THE EARTH SAT DOWN and THE MAMMYJAMMERS (a rift on the Stephen King novels).

I’m drawing the new stories myself, and am having a blast. Not sure where I’ll shop the book when it’s done, but I’m sure I’ll find a publisher somewhere. If not, I’ll publish the damn thing myself.

Oh, and here’s a bit of irony for you: Although DuBay was the editor of CREEPY and EERIE, and also consulting editor on FAMOUS MONSTERS, he was NOT a fan of horror films and rarely watched them. He hated REX HAVOC – did not get the movie references. And it was Bill’s idea to reprint 3 of the 4 stories as RAIDERS OF THE FANTASTIC, an idea that so appalled me I took my name off the book.

Ah, the good old days of trading body blows with my editor. I kinda miss 'em.

Jim, you honor me greatly by writing in. It's obvious that I love your work and I welcome more Rex Havoc like I would welcome a nude twenty-six-year-old Lucianna Palluzzi bearing a bottle of fine red vino. Please keep me posted as to your progress with the new stuff; I'll plug the hell out of it!

Just saw this! I am so very glad that Jim Stenstrum has some more Rex stories. I could never bring myself to buy the "Raiders of the Fantasic" bastardization and would love love love to see a proper compilation. New stories!?!? Bring em!